Teachers are still falling for ‘fads’, warns senior Ofsted official
Teachers are still falling for fads, despite the growing interest in evidence-informed teaching, a senior Ofsted official said today.
Speaking at a London conference, Daniel Muijs, head of research at Ofsted, said: “There is still a big issue in education in terms of being still susceptible to various fads and there is not enough clarity on what is really evidence-based and what is the latest fun idea from someone giving a TED talk because they went to school 20 years ago and are a very successful entrepreneur, for example.”
He told delegates at the Westminster Education Forum that while educational technology could attract a lot of financial investment, it did not necessarily have the evidence in terms of impact
When asked about examples of fads, he said: “Ipad schools .. I am entirely unconvinced that we have any evidence of impact in that particular area.”
This subject has caused much discussion on social media, with many branding the comments ‘patronising’.
VEE BAXTER @MissVeeBee 20h20 hours ago
Replying to @tes @Ofstednews
How very patronising- fads, ted talks, susceptible teachers- what does it tell us about how OFSTED views the professionalism of teachers- respect teachers’ knowledge and autonomy
Colin Heinink @Albiestar Mar 1
Replying to @tes
Different approaches work differently with different children and different adults in different places at different times.
Sandra Stotsky @sgstotsky 12h12 hours ago
#EdTech If no evidence for it (“necessarily”), or if it’s a “fad,” then why do schools invest in it? Why don’t local school boards disallow expenditures on edtech in the classroom?
tiffany candlish @candlishtiffany 23h23 hours ago
tiffany candlish Retweeted Tes
So #iPads are just a #fad, @ofsted? Shall we just use our abacus for maths then? You’ll note that we still use quills in our best schools. #edtech #EdReform #tes
Bob Harrison @BobHarrisonEdu Mar 1
@Ofstednews miss the point about technology ( A fad!!) for teaching,learning and assessment yet again ” “Ipad schools .. I am entirely unconvinced that we have any evidence of impact in that particular area,”
Talk for Teaching @PaulGarvey4 Mar 1
Replying to @tes
Ofsted repeating the ‘Fads’ language of the traditionalists, but at the same time failing to evidence the conclusions in #boldbeginnings and instead falling for what may be a ‘traditionalists’ fad. #inconsistent More & more @Ofstednews tipping towards ‘trad’ education.
Read the full article in the Tes.